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for 2006 Pennsylvania Primary Election Legislative Candidates
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Pennsylvania's system of funding public education? What should the Pennsylvania Legislature do, if anything, to improve the system of funding public education? (75 words or less) The primary weakness of our public education system is that there is an alarming inequity in funding for public schools, which is compounded by being forced to comply with unfunded federal mandates like George Bush’s No Child Left Behind. 2. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to meet the requirements of Pennsylvania's regulations for academic standards and graduation requirements as well as the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that expects every student to demonstrate proficiencies on state assessments in reading, math and science by 2014, and for all schools to demonstrate "adequate yearly progress" (required by NCLB) toward that goal? (75 words or less) We need to move away from our almost obsessive love affair with standardized tests like the PSSA as a benchmark by which school districts are funded, and focus on teaching our children the real-world skills they will need to compete in a global economy. 3. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to close the academic achievement gaps that exist among groups of students in schools and school districts across the Commonwealth? (75 words or less) We should reexamine the current funding system and how it is tied in to standardized test scores. We should also not be afraid to explore new ideas like county-wide school districts, but only if they would provide true equality across the board. 4. What, if anything, should the Pennsylvania Legislature do to increase access for young children in Pennsylvania to high-quality pre-K programs and full-day kindergarten programs? (75 words or less) We should make full-day kindergarten mandatory. We should also increase funding for pre-K programs in economically depressed areas, so those students can have access to early educational resources that they might not otherwise receive. 5. What is your vision of the public education opportunity that should be available to every child in Pennsylvania and what will you do to accomplish that goal? (75 words or less) Every child in Pennsylvania should attend school in a safe environment that promotes real educational values and teaches real skills, not pre-packaged lessons that are designed to be used on the PSSA and then forgotten. I would support reinstating the 30 and Out option for teachers, which would create new jobs for young teachers and lower class size. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) I would support legislation that would mandate that a certain percentage of every school district’s budget be spent directly on students, which would eliminate wasteful spending in certain districts. I would support any legislation that would truly bring about equality in funding for our schools, not just lip service with no results.
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